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Monday, December 31, 2012

I found this awesome vase at Target today on clearance. I'd been stalking it for awhile...there it was...in a random spot, for 2.98!! I saw something similar on Pinterest, and decided to give it a go!

It was easy too! Just whip up some yarn pom-poms', jab some branches in them and stick in the vase. Want to know a secret to getting the branches to stay where you want? Fill the vase with rice! That's it...easy winter decor! I can see changing this up for all the seasons!

I love this little area of my house...it's the top of my entertainment center, on one side and I love my little wintry pink yarny goodness section!! I love the vase because it looks like a cabled knit pattern! I've decorated for winter and it's so fun, since we don't do Christmas, it's nice to get to decorate for a whole season!

Here's a bit more winter fun I put up around the house:

We made melted snowmen to munch on!

Added pom poms to another Target clearance find!

I crocheted the runner and it looks perfect under the candlestick plate my sister made for me.

Close up of the plate. Isn't it lovely? Another clearance find!

Cheapy .50 snowman hanging from our ceiling fan.

Some fun yarn pom poms and snowflakes hanging on our blinds.

and some pretty roses I bought to pretty up the kitchen. I love winter, but it is a bit drab, so some pretty pink flowers will always help!!

Friday, December 28, 2012

Well, it's come and nearly gone and I have to say it's been a really good year, personally and business wise. Our family stayed relatively healthy, no major mishaps (other than a child's broken toe but that ended up okay), the hubs stayed employed in this time of unemployment, my business flourished, and our little family grew by two guinea pigs and a new weenie dog puppy. Instead of waiting for the other shoe to drop, I choose to give thanks for our blessings and be grateful for what God has provided for us. I pray I can continue to grow in His word and learn more, grow more, and do more with the many blessings He provides for us.

Since August I was working full time, which was quite an adjustment, but it should be coming to an end the first week of January. I'm not saying I won't go back to work full time eventually, but right now, I feel I need to focus on the family, house and my business. We've been having some recent issues with our youngest and I need to stay on top of those and not be stressed worrying about 'getting it all done'.

My little business has really grown and I am VERY grateful for that. In 2012 I primarily focused on Badge Reels, and I am happy to report, thanks to the customers who BELIEVE in handmade and make an effort to purchase it, that Badge Reels exceeded it's 2011 sales by early November and December was one of my top grossing months, even being open only 15 days! THANK YOU 1,000 times over to everyone who shares links, likes, follows, buys, promotes, believes in me and prays for my shop! It does not go unnoticed!

My second shop, Seaux Comfy, did a good little business for a new shop, nothing huge, but a great start. It's really an outlet for my crochet love (okay, it's an excuse to buy more yarn...) and it's a fun little addition. I love both my shops and the crafts I do, if I didn't love it, I wouldn't do it! What's the point in trying to build a business if you hate what you are doing?

As for my Year Without Wal-Mart...I actually did quite well and probably only stepped foot in the store about ten times the entire year....mostly for reasons I couldn't really control (father needed to go, out of town and no nearby stores, etc). I have to say I did well not going, not necessarily spending less (Target's bullseye gets me every time...) but making efforts to find other stores, local, chain and online, to spend my grocery money. Will I try to avoid Wal-Mart to much in 2013? No, probably not, but the habit has been laid, that it is not my first grocery choice.

So we've had a fabulous year and I hope you did too. Despite the scary in the world, I try to look on the brighter side and remember the greater plan at work. As a great man once said, "I've read to the end of the book, and we win." It was a dreary winter day here today and looking back over the year's photos really helped. Here is a little snippet of our year :) If you want to see more, please feel free to find me on Instagram as mamaslittlemonkeys. Also on Flickr and to see my crochet goodies, friend me on Ravelry!

Here's to 2013 being just as awesome!!! My hubs and I will be celebrating our ten year anniversary, I'll be turning 34, one boy will turn 5 and one will turn 8! It's going to be a great year!

Friday, December 21, 2012

It's Winter Break!! WOOO HOO! This means two solid weeks of no major committments, no plans, no schedule, no alarms (other than full bladder puppy cries). I am so ready. I've been working since August and am way out of my normal WAHM routine. I will get my WAHM life back in January, and I'm excited! So this is a nice taste test....however I have two boys to occupy. If I don't make plans, they may very well meld into the sofa.

What did we do before Pinterest? Oh right...made it up as we went....Thanks Pinterest for letting me a lazy bum but look like I'm totally rocking this mom thing.

Let us collect a set of ideas to start with (and chuckle at later when I achieve only three.) All photo credits should be on pins.

Hot Glue Snowflakes. Not so sure on this one...letting my boys loose with hot glue guns??? I don't know if we're close enough to our health insurance deductible for that one...http://pinterest.com/pin/266205027946025108/

And we did this last year and it was a HIT! I'll have to dig it out, find it..but I know it's in the cabinet SOMEWHERE....(boy do I need to purge...) Instant Snow! This is HUGE for us southerners! http://pinterest.com/pin/266205027943710881/

Here are some pics of my boys playing with the instant snow last year..

I'm looking forward to some winter fun again this year!
I'll let you know how it goes!
~~Amy

Monday, December 17, 2012

Monday, December 10, 2012

It's getting COLD here again in Louisiana (we bounce back and forth!) and I love when it's chilly and cold because it makes me want to cuddle under blankets and bake warm goodies!

I threw the sunburst granny throw over my new down comforter (snagged on Black Friday for a GREAT price!) The dog approves.

We baked up some muffins with some fun, bright, sprinkles. Cannot speak highly enough of Pamela's Gluten Free Mixes.

I did some snapping around our local nature center to clear my head one day.

Can't believe it's almost the new year! Where has time gone!?? It's almost Christmas break so I'll be off of work for two weeks, then just another week and half or so then I'm home full time again! :) So y'all behave until I return!

I'm nearing the end of my temporary job outside the home and I'm anxious to get back to my home life of working at home, taking care of my family and home and relisting my house on the market...commence the insanity!!

I've got lots of pretty stuff on the hooks and plenty of fun new reels to add to Badge Reels!

Follow Pamela's recipe for her muffin mix. Fill the muffin tin (sprayed or use liners) only about half full instead of 2/3 as she says. Add a dollop of Nutella in each muffin space. Gently swirl the Nutella in with a toothpick (swirl easy...if you do it too much it just mixes it, which isn't bad but not the effect you're going for...unless it is..then mix your socks off.) Bake as directed per Pamela's directions. (Is her stuff not awesome?) Let cool if you can stand it and eat!

They are SO good. My kids and I love them! They may 'poof' out the pan but I consider those free parts and they don't count in calories...obviously.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Hi, my name is Amy and I'm the friendly owner of this little blog. You might not remember me because all that has been on this blog for awhile is crickets. I have determined, I cannot multi task. I started a temporary job in early August that has sucked my brain, heart and life dry. It's a good job, I'm good at it, and I LOVE the people I work with. It's a job I believe in, support and could do darn well if I was in a different stage of my life.

But at this point...my brain hurts.

The job was supposed to be six weeks, but as you know, life happens and I will be staying until early January...a date that I said I just cannot stay past, because I needed an end date, a date to reclaim my sanity. I have learned something.

Working Moms do NOT GET ENOUGH CREDIT. Seriously. I am trying to work, just 30 hours a week (yet getting 40 hours worth of work done in it!), take care of the kids, homework, housework, cleaning, cooking, groceries, AND running my handmade business. (I refused to stop my business as I have worked my behind off to build it and it's currently doing well. No way, was I giving that up.) I AM TIRED.

So this is why I've not blogged much, because there isn't a ton to blog about. Very little time to create, zero time to cook other than what I am legally obligated to provide to the small people for them to survive. No time for household management tricks or funny jokes.

I miss that. I miss my happy little handmade home life. And I'll get it back. But in the meantime, I wanted to say hello, I miss you dear readers, whether there is only one of you or a few, or a ton. I love that ANYONE takes their time to read what mindless drivel I have to say and love when someone can use a tutorial or pattern I made for themselves.

So watch out in January...I hope to have a TON of fun stuff to show you!

In the meantime, catch up with me on Flickr and Instagram (I'm "mamaslittlemonkeys") to see the little shots I have been managing to take of life and the things I've created!

Friday, October 5, 2012

I write this post in an awesome place. I sit, cross legged on a lounge chair on the balcony of a fabulous condo on the bay of Orange Beach, Alabama. One son is downstairs on the doc looking for fish with his dad and one son is inside, playing with his beloved Yoshi. Life is good.

And that is a wonderful thing, because why we're down here is for a reason very few in this world understand. We are celebrating something called the Feast of Tabernacles. Very few understand what this means, very few even care. I won't go into the specifics, but it's a very important Holy Day time for us in our religion. It symbolizes the 1,000 year period after Christ's return when God will rule as the government of this world, instead of the evil, human world we currently live in. It's to be a time of much rejoicing, joy, happiness, and fun. It is to symbolize a time when there will be no more sorrow, hate, tears. The deaf with hear, the blind will see. No more pain, suffering, only joy. It's hard to imagine but many of us dream of that time, wait for it patiently.So we will finish our time at the Feast and enjoy it so, knowing we must go back to our lives in the world, but we do our best to learn, listen, and strive to keep God with us every day, all day. It's a very important lesson for me as a mother to teach my children, and they look forward to this time, rightly so, even if not for all the same reasons I do at this time.Thankfully they have cute little videos like this one, from my old pal Jonathan and his crew. His church put together this cute video explaining what the Feast is to our children. Take a look if you wish. :)

I can't wait for a time when my boys can pet a lion and ride a bottlenose dolphin. :)Happy Feast!!Amy

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

I was trying to think of something to write about today. Trying to find appropriate pictures. But I couldn't. It was difficult to look at them all, difficult to think about that horrifying day. So instead today I want to say, Thank You. Thank you to all the first responders, the service men and women, and the accidental heroes of that day. Thank you those who continue to this day to defend and protect us from terrorists and enemies. Let us not forget those who lost their lives and the families forever affected.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Oh I can feel it....I can sense the change in the air...fall is coming. Today we had a cool front and it was a little taste of fall heading our way. Usually we get a few 'teases' of fall, so we could be in the upper 90's again next week, but I'm going to enjoy this weather while I can! We let the windows down, air out the house, and get outside!! We can suddenly enjoy a bike ride, swinging, playing outside, without feeling like we'll die of heat exhaustion. The heat down here truly is an entity of itself, an angry demon you don't mess with. You avoid it with air conditioning and wait it out.

Fall means Saints football is back, and although that makes me a football widow because my husband watches EVERY SINGLE GAME he can, I enjoy a good game. Fall means a chance to wear and use the crochet things I make! Fall means leaves changing, apples, pumpkins, Thanksgiving is soon! I LOVE FALL!!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

PHEW. Sorry I went MIA. First I went back to work (which should be ending soon!) and then we had good ol' Hurricane Isaac wreck havoc on us for a week or so. But we are back home, getting life back together. I have a lot of catching up to do at work, in the business and at home but we're here, safe and sound!

What's new in Mama World? Well, first off, HOW did it get to be SEPTEMBER?? I mean, whaaaat?

Secondly, YEAH ITS SEPTEMBER! That means cooler weather is coming, football and Thanksgiving is just two months away!! I love fall, however short it is here!

I've been trying to create at night after the day job is done, the kids are in bed and the man is occupied. I had hoped to be plunging full on into my business when school started, but this temporary job came up. I knew they needed my help and hey, who doesn't want a few extra coins? :)

So I've been crocheting at night, and FINALLY finished the Mario Granny Square blanket! It's so cute. I still have to edge it and back it with a cotton. Oh and tie off a gazillion strings...

I also made this cute little weenie dog. The lovely Scotti at Inner Hooker found it and we could NOT find the pattern anywhere. (Though we truly wish the creator had written one, we SO would've bought it.) So I dabbled a bit with existing amigurumi patterns and came up with Andrew, the Weenie Dog :)

I'm tweaking the pattern more and making it easier and more consistent and working on that, slowly, surely.

I also finished up a pillow cover based on the Summer Garden pattern from Lucy of Attic24. It's lovely and is a great late summer addition to my house :)

What have you been up to? Make sure you do something every day that makes you smile!

Great Quotes

"Nothing you do for children is ever wasted. They seem not to notice us, hovering, averting our eyes, and they seldom offer thanks, but what we do for them is never wasted."

Garrison Keillor

"It is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew; especially as they are never more at home with their own hearts than while so occupied."